Municipal Report: East Nantmeal Reorganizes, EAC talks pipeline

By Tory Lingg , For Journal Register News Service

Friday, January 18, 2013

Per the reorganizational meeting of East Nantmeal Township, Jim Jenkins will continue as chairman and Tyler Wren has been elected as vice chairman of the Board of Supervisors. Kathy Brumfield will continue as Secretary/Treasurer. The Solicitor will be Tom Oeste.

The Zoning Officer, Township Engineer and Building Inspector functions will be provided by LTL Consultants Ltd (for more information calls can be made to LTL’s Chuck Cutlip at 610-987-9290). The Road Master is Jim Jenkins, Ray Nestorick is Maintenance Superintendent, and John Kraljevich, Harry Pfahler, Rick Stierly, Matthew Brumfield, Richard Shreiner and Parker Loomis will perform township work at an hourly rate.

Miriam Newman will continue as office clerk and as secretary of the Planning Commission. Ken Woerner will be solicitor for the Zoning Hearing Board and Board of Administrative Appeals. Norma Strauss and Mark Dzuban were appointed to the Historical Commission. Wayne Grafton is the Land Planner. Nancy Barclay will serve on the Vacancy Board. Giacaponella was appointed to the E.A.C.

The Historical Commission will meet on January 16 said Chairwoman Christine Gordon Watson. Karen Marshall of the Chester County Historical Commission will be present to discuss the initiative to have a Town Tour and Village Walk again in East Nantmeal Township. Several years ago Nantmeal Village was the featured attraction in the summer program. Members of the Historical Commission are looking to determine if they can put together an itinerary of historic places for the program. Also, the East Nantmeal Historical Commission is working with a historical commission in Chester Springs to get more local historical properties on the National Registry.

Wren said the Zoning Review Committee will meet on January 28 to consider revisions in the Comprehensive Plan.

Wren said the Environmental Action Committee is concerned about the Commonwealth Pipeline that is planned to pass through part of East Nantmeal Township. Chris Giacopennella of the Environmental Action Committee wants to know how the group can be actively involved in decisions.

Wren will be the ‘point person’ in representing East Nantmeal in dealing with local issues concerning the Commonwealth Pipeline. Wren and Allison Malamo will attend a meeting of the Warwick Concerned Citizens in Warwick Township on January 9.

“We have to know what is going on and take action to tweak the plans for the pipeline to meet the requests of our residents,” said Wren.

A resident was concerned about the possibility of the pipeline route getting eminent domain right of way status through private property, with ‘national security’ named as the purpose.

Resident Trish St. Georges said that a person can influence the plans even though the pipeline is not going through your land.

“We need to go as a unified front,” she sated.

Resident Ed Bacon said if that if the pipeline destroys some of the environment in its wake the township can seek to have the damages repaired.

The pipeline will connect with the Texas Eastern pipeline at the village of Font, located between Eagle and Ludwigs Corner.

There has to be a study on potential impacts on historic places, said Wren.

There was opposition to attempts to bore under the Brandywine Creek for the purpose of locating a pipeline there. The pipeline people want to locate the route of the pipeline through mostly open areas to reduce dealing with property owners as a means of reducing costs.

“We have to get the facts and obtain legal counsel,” Wren stated.

Township Attorney Tom Oeste said that the board “wants to stay ahead of the curve”.

A resident said that the location of Bog Turtles along the proposed route could be cause to stop pipeline construction.

The Ludwigs Corner Horse Show Committee wants to use the East Nantmeal Township Municipal Building for some of their meetings, said Bacon.

Wren commented that up to $200 will be forwarded by the township for the purpose of financing the next edition of the township newsletter.

Jenkins asked that residents living in the areas of Millard and Adams Roads be on the lookout for anyone dumping bottles or trash along the roads. Within the last two weeks there have been two such dumping incidents. Anyone seeing a suspicious vehicle should attempt to note the make of the car and license number and contact officials.

Work on the stone wall around the Old Friend’s Cemetery along Fairview Road near Nantmeal Village has been completed. Eighteenth Century Restoration, managed by Wesley Sessa, did a “great job” according to Wren.

To date, the entire front section and half of the back side of the wall has been restored.

“You can’t tell it was (restored),” Wren said “They will continue to work on it periodically.”

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